Bind (CEO Kim Si-hwa), the operator of the men's fashion platform 'Astler' for men aged 35 and older, announced on the 17th that it has secured 10 billion won in Series B funding. This investment round was led by Company K Partners, with Laguna Investment and UNIST Technology Holdings participating as new investors. Existing investors Kakao Ventures, Dasung Ventures, Base Ventures, and D.CAMP also continued with follow-up investments, reaffirming Astler's growth potential.
Athlete is a vertical fashion platform targeting men aged 35 and older, providing customized brand curation and content to users whose choices were limited in the existing market centered on those in their 20s and 30s. Considering their busy lifestyles, it minimizes the burden of searching and increases purchasing efficiency, while supporting the establishment of fashion experiences for this age group.
While the online fashion market as a whole is showing stagnation, Astler recorded a 407% year-over-year sales growth rate as of 2025, and its combined web and app monthly active users (MAU) surpassed 3.03 million. The platform has built a new digital ecosystem for men's fashion by growing alongside brands that possessed high quality and design competitiveness but struggled to secure sales channels.
Through this investment, Athlete plans to focus on strengthening Brand Experience (BX), improving platform structure, and expanding its strategic brand presence. Additionally, the company aims to design personalized buying experiences based on the customer lifecycle and expand its categories beyond fashion to encompass the entire men's lifestyle.
An official from Company K Partners commented, “Bind is leading the digital transformation of the middle-aged men’s fashion market and connecting market issues to business results.” Bind CEO Kim Si-hwa stated, “We will develop Athlete not merely as a sales platform, but as a trusted platform that designs the tastes and daily lives of men aged 35 and older.”
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